The Portland daily press., 1887-03-18
a RESUME
OF the Work OF the sIxty-Third Legis-
lature.
Especial to the Press.l

This Legislature has been especially notice
able for the large number of private acts
and the Importance of the public acts.
Perhaps the most important feature o.
this session has been the labor legislation
A ten-hour bill has been passed. prohibiting
the employment of boys under sixteen year:
of age, girls under eighteen, and women Of
any age in manufacturing and mechanical
establishments; a fortnightly payment bill
| prescribing that every manufacturing,
mining, Quarrying, stone cutting, mercan-
tile, horse railroad. telegraph, telephone and
| municipal corporation, and every incor-
porated express and water company, and
any person or firm engaged in any Of the
above specified kinds of business having in
their employ more than ten persoLs, shall
pay fortnightly each and every employe en-
gagged in its business, the wages earned by
such employe to within eight days Of the
date Of said payment" This act, however,
does not apply to municipal officers, whose
services are paid for by the day, or to
teachers employed by municipal corpora
tions."
Another important act establishes bureau
Of labor statistics to be managed by a com
missioner and deputies. For this the annual
appropriation viii be $500. The commits
sioner Of labor, who is to see to the enforce
ment of the ten-hour law is to get $500
yearly. Still another important measure is
the convict labor bill, intended TO prevent
competition at the State prison with free
laborers.
Another measure asked for by the labor
interests is the act abolishing Imprisonment
for debt except in cases Of fraud. The
abolition of the trustee process was also
asked, but it has not been granted.
Two constitutional amendments win be
submitted to the people at the next election; I;
one to limit the tenure Of Office Of the State
Treasurer at six years instead Of five, to con-
form ito the annual sessions; another to
establish annual instead of biennial sessions
Of the Legislature.
There has been considerable banking leg
islation, noticeable for the incorporation Of
trust companies. Of which these are the
names: Bar Harbor, Limerick, Bangor,
Westbrook, Merchants, Eastern, Kennebec,
Roumekaka, Oxford County and Cumber-
land. Then besides there have been char
ICAO0 Vic ANbAtACAh A1dhhAA6 COnPonJp lnO
Cornish Savings Bank. the Portland Trust
Company has had its charter amended, the
Sagadahoc Real Estate Association has been
chartered, and the general law relating to
Building Associations has been remodelled.
Especially remarkable has been the Legis-
lature relating to water companies. Compa-
nies have been chartered to supply Farming
ton, Isle Au Haut, Buckfeld, York, Madi-
son, Belfast, Northeast Harbor, Boothbay,
Bar Harbor, Dexter, Southwest Harbor,
Caribou, Damariseotta and New Castle,
Winthrop, Presque Isle, Eastport, Hancock
Point, Waterville. Skowhegan, Bucksport
Winter Harbor, Fort Fairfield, Seal Harbor,
Orono and Pumgustuck.
OF railroad legislation there has been a
great deal The York Harbor & Beach r. X.
has had its powers enlarged; also the Maine
Shore line; the Wateruille Il Fairfield Horse
railroad has been Incorporated; the Prout's
Neck and Scarborough Beach road has been
Incorporated; also the Northern Maine
(Aroostook Short Line); the Portland Il
Rochester charter has been amended; the
st. Croix River railroad Incorporated; also
the Calais City railroad; the Bangor street
A0AUdJ NOAhpdh9 llC DCydSV LdhC ~ l4C-
chanic Falls railroad; the Midway, Mt. Ka-
tahdin g. Patten; the Brunswick street rail-
way; the Rumford Falls & Buckfeld has
been given certain powers; the Megantic
has been allowed to change its location; the
Biddeford and Saco Horse railway is author
lied to extend its line to Old Orchard; the
Carrabassett & Canadian has been incorpo-
rated; the Boston & Maine has been author
lied to consolidate with related lines; and a
union passenger station has been arranged
for Portland.
Other important acts authorize and en-
power towns and cities to appropriate money
for the expenses of Memorial day; to pro-
vide for the burial expenses OF nonorably
discharged soldiers and sailors Of Maine; to
| refund the public debt; to establish an
Arbor Day; to recall the charters Of the two
medical colleges at Lewiston; to provide for
stamping out contagious diseases among
cattle; to abolish capital punishment; to
pay State pensions to dependent parents,
children and sisters of soldiers and sailors
Provisions have been made for erecting
monuments on the battlefield of Gettysburg.
The milk quart has been changed from
Dttl W NAuG uiCdouACs thC VI bCdlo
from 60 to 90 pounds; the bushel of oats
from 80 to 80 pounds.
Corporations organizing in this State in
future are to pay much more liberal fee for
the privilege Of organizing.
The salaries Of large number of officers
have been raised, the figures prevailing be-
fore 1879 being generally restored. The off,
GERS who get their salaries raised are the
Clerk of Courts in York, PenobscOt, Han
cock, Somerset and Oxford Counties, judges
and register Of probate for Hancock and
| Waldo Counties, the register of probate fol
| Penobscot County, the county attorneys oi
Aroostook and Sagadahoc counties, the
| county commissioners of Aroostook and
Hancock Counties.
The salaries of the supreme judges have
been increased from $1,000 year each tC
| $500. the Adjutant General from $500 tC
| $1,000; the Secretary of State from 81 ,2OC
to 81, 500; of the deputy Secretary of State
| from 81 200 to $1,000; of the Treasure of the
| State from 1000 to $1,000; and of the clerks
| in the treasurer's office to $500 each; and
an assistant has been given to the bank ex-
aminer, with salary of 500.
Most of the educational bills that were
proposed at the beginning of the session
have failed. One important one, however,
has succeeded; that is the bill to compel
children under fifteen years of age to attend
the public schools.
OF legislation relating to Portland there
has been considerable. The cost Of the
municipal court has been reduced; the ap
pointmeat of deputy marshals regulated
public improvements authorized in Bacl
Bay and Fore River; the jurisdiction of thu
municipal court enlarged; an act passed t
regulate the conduct of caucuses; the con
demnation of Old City Hall has been author
lied.
In matters relating to the public health
this Legislature has been wise. For tn,
work Of the State Board of Health the ap
preparation has been increased from $500
to 5000; and bill has been passed estab
lshing local boards of health to cooperat,
with the State Board.
The incorporation Of number Of heat
light and Illuminating companies has been
feature of this winters legislation.
A bill to allow special insurance broker
to place risks in unlicensed companies ha
become q law.
A lobster law has been passed; and man
private fish. and game laws haye been en-
acted.